Penne with Zucchini, Fresh Herbs, and Lemon Zest

By Stef -



I really thought this would be good, but it wasn't, mainly because it was so dry. I also used whole wheat noodles, which adds to the overall dryness, so this desperately needed some sauce to go along with it. I even added some chicken broth and half and half to make it not so dry, but probably needed to add a lot more than I did. It had decent flavor, but isn't very good as is. I gave it a 6 and Jared gave it a 3. Both the pic and recipe came from finecooking.com.

  • Kosher salt
  • 3/4 lb. whole wheat penne
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium zucchini (8 oz. each), cut in half lengthwise and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick half moons
  • 4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 3 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh mint I didn't add this
  • 3 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh basil
  • 3 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/2 C. chicken broth
  • 1/3 C. half and half 
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the penne and cook according to package instructions until al dente.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until barely tender and just starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is soft and fragrant, an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon zest, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper.
Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water and drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the zucchini mixture along with the Parmigiano, mint, basil, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss to combine, adding some of the reserved water if necessary to moisten the pasta, and serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions
Perfect alongside Marinated Tomatoes with Pickled Red Onions & Gorgonzola.
nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 440; Fat (g): 15; Fat Calories (kcal): 140; Saturated Fat (g): 2.5; Protein (g): 15; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 10; Carbohydrates (g): 67; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 2; Sodium (mg): 450; Cholesterol (mg): 0; Fiber (g): 8;

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